North Peru 2: Tumbes-Chiclayo-Tarapoto

This is an amazing trip, is one of the main routes for birding. We will visit several habitats, it is a high endemic route not only in the north of Perú (Tumbes) but also along the way to Chiclayo and Tarapoto. This trip is developed from the Coast of the North of Perú up to the high Jungle and the transition forest, amazon basin, this route goes across Perú and is simply spectacular.

Day 0.   Lima – Tumbes

In the afternoon , flight to Tumbes. Stay at a Hotel in Tumbes. (D)

Day 1,2  Forest of the Tumbesian region.

Early in the morning after a delicious breakfast, we head for the Tumbes Forest, near  Parque Nacional Cerros de Amotape, we go in the Facial stream where the Biologic Station El Caucho is placed, we will spend all day birding at this point through the various trails, we can find Crested Guan,Rufous-headed Chachalaca, Grey-breasted Flycatcher, Saffron Siskin, Slaty Becard, Blackish-headed Spinetail, Henna-hooded Foliage-Gleaner, Guayaquil Woodpecker, Scrub Antpitta Ecuadorian Trogon Grey-necked Parakeet  and  others. Camp in the Biologic Station sorroundings. (B, BL, D)

Day 3     Forest of the Tumbesian region and Mangroves

In the morning we will make a brief stop at the forest to observe some different species or maybe the same as previous day, then at mid day we will head for Tumbes Mangroves. .

We will spend the rest of the day in Mangroves National Sanctuary, the entry is for Puerto 25 which is a small fishing village organized to work responsibly in the ecotourism development as a way to diminish the impact of mollusk and crustaceans in the mangroves . This is a very good site for birding, here we can observe shore birds, associated to mangoves like Tumbes Swallow, Mangrove (Yellow) Warbler, Brown Pelican, Peruvian Pelican,Magnificent Frigatebird, Mangrove Black Hawk, Tricolored Heron, Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, White Ibis, Masked Water-Tyrant, Ruofus-necked Woodrail, Yellow, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Great-tailed Grackle, Scarlet-backed Woodpecker,  among others. In the afternoon, we will arrive to Chiclayo. Stay at a comfortable hotel. (B, L, D)

Day 4.   A.C.P Chaparry

Leave early in the morning to the village of Chongoyape then  take the highway to the Private Conservation Area of  Chaparry.

The Private Conservation Area Chaparry belongs to the agricultural community of Chongoyape, framed by the Equatorial dry forest in which we can observe many species of birds, among them the White-Winge Guan considered extinct and recently rediscovered  together with 190 more species of birds live in this reserve. On our walks we will be able to find White Tail Deer  and Sechura Fox.

We will spend all day in Chaparri. Depending on the season and weather conditions we can find Peruvian Sheartail, Little Woodstar , Long-billed Starthroat, Cinereous Finch, Tumbes Tyrant(E), Purple-collared Woodstar, Tumbes Hummingbird(E), Sulphur-throated Finch, Amazilia Hummingbirds, Oasis Hummingbird y Short-tailed Woodstar, furthermore the Pacific Parrotlet, Peruvian Pygmi Owl, Streak-Headed Woodcreeper, White-Tailed Jay, Tropical Parula, White-Edged Oriole  among others. Overnight in  Chaparri Lodge.

(B, L, D)

Day 5.   Batan Grande – Bosque de Pomac

We have breakfast at the lodge. In the morning we will have a quick look  to the surroundings of Chaparry , we will have the opportunity to see a beautiful show in the fountain near the Lodge, where many hummingbirds arrive every day to take a refreshing shower.

Then we head for Batan Grande on our way we will make a stop at the Tinajones reservoir  to find some grebes  and  ducks.

In Batan Grande we will look for species like Gray-breasted Flycatcher, Pacific Parrotlet, Gray and gold Warbler, Sooty-crowned Flycatcher, in the bushes.

The Pomac forest  is a Historic Sanctuary belongs to the Peruvian Government  with forest  of Prosopis sp., we register at the reception and go into to look for the famous Peruvian Plantcutter(E) also the Superciliated Wren, Rufous Flycatcher, Tropical Gnatcacher, Fasciated Wren, Necklaced Spinetail, Baird’s Flycatcher and others. We depart to Olmos. Overnight in Basic hotel in Olmos. (B,L,D)

Day 6.   Olmos – Quebrada Frejolillo

Early in the morning we head for the Frejolillo stream we make a stop on the way to take breakfast in the dry forest, before the sun burns. This is a famous stream since the White-winged Guan that was extinct was rediscovered. We look for species like Golden-olive Woodpecker, Henna-hooded Foliage-gleaner, White-headed Brush-finch, Baird’s Flycatcher, Tumbes Hummingbird (E), Guayaquil Woodpecker, Elegant Crescentchest, Red-masked Parakeet, Grey and Gold Warbler, Plumbeous-backed Thrush, Gray-breasted Flycatcher, Streak-headed Woodcreeper, Long-billed Starthroat and others.Overnight in basic hotel in Olmos. (B, BL, D)

Day 7.   Abra Porculla – Jaén

We leave the desert and coast part  of the trip to go across the lowest side of the High Andes, this pass  is called Abra Porculla, we  will make several stops and pay special attention in these previously set trails at the lowest part of the canyon also on the rocky walls near the highway to find the Ecuadorian Piculet, Black-and-white Seedeater, Yellow-bellied Seedeater, Elegant Crescentchest, Three-banded Warbler, Andean Tinamou, Black-cowled Saltator, Piura Chat-tyrant, Chapman’s Antshrike, Rufous-necked Foliage-gleaner, Henna-hooded Foliage-gleaner and more. In the afternoon, we arrive to Jaén and stay overnight. (B, BL, D)

Day 8.   Jaén – Pedro Ruiz –  Pomacochas

Early in the morning we depart to Pedro Ruiz and the Pomacochas Lake We will make several stops between  Jaén and Pedro Ruiz on the Marañón  basin to   observe Marañón Crescentchest, Buff-bellied Tanager, Marañón Thrush, Chinchipe Spinetail, Northern(Marañon )Slaty-Antshrike, , Marañón Spinetail, Sooty-crowned Flycatcher. Along the highway Fernando Belaunde we will be able to find the Miltary Macaw, Speckle-breasted Wren, Black-capped Sparrow and listen to the Tataupa Tinamou and more others.

As soon as we arrive to Pomacochas we will have lunch and leave to explore the Pomacochas surroundings , here will find Spotted Rail ,White-cheeked Pintail, Andean Lapwing, Pied-Billed Grebe, Puna Snipe. Overnight at a comfortable hotel in Pomacochas. (B, L, D)

Day 9.   Pomacochas – Chido  – Abra Patricia

After having breakfast at the hotel we will seek for the Marvelous Spatuletail, we can find this species in the field of a local citizen, he protects this bird. The meet will be astonishing since is the most wonderful and beautiful hummingbird.

Then we will go down the hill, take the transport to Chido, this is a trail near Pomacochas Lake.

In Chido trail we will walk by the riverside watching the shore across the river to find some mixed flocks and  the Speckled Hummingbird, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, Collared Inca, Strong-billed Woodcreeper, Golden-headed Quetzal, Versicolored Barbet ,Torrent Duck, Chestnut-crested Cotinga , White-collared Jay, White-tailed Tyrannulet, White-banded Tyrannulet, Inca Flycatcher (E), Gray-breasted Mountain-Toucan ,Andean Solitaire, White-capped Tanager, Silver-backed Tanagers  Mountain Velvetbreast and others. In the afternoon we will go to abra Patricia this a wooded land, we will stay at Long-whiskered Owlet Lodge. Overnight at the Lodge. (B, L, D)

Day 10, 11   Abra Patricia

We start early in the morning, this will be our operations center for these days, this will allow us move easily to the whole Abra Patricia  in the three sections and on the available trails in the site.

The Abra Patricia is famous because LSU (Loiusiana State University) Expedition set up at this point  several years ago, being pioneers on Bird investigation in Perú .

If we are lucky enough we can see and listen to the endemics Rusty-tinged Antpitta (E), Ochre-fronted Antpitta (E) and look for the Long-whiskered Owlet, the latest practically rediscovered.

Also in the three sections of Abra Patricia  we will see species like Blue-browed Tanage, Johnson’s Tody-Tyrant, White-Capped Tanager, Metallic-green Tanager, Red-Hooded Tanager, Yellow-Scarfed Tanager, Montane Woodcreeper, Scaly-naped Parrot, Cinnamon-breasted Tody-Tyrant, Bar-winged Wood-Wren(E), Equatorial Graytail, Wedge-billed Hummingbird, Tyrranine Woodcreeper, Rusty-winged Barbtail, Spotted Barbtail, Royal Sunangel(E), Crimson-mantled Woodpecker, Ochre-Fronted Antpitta, Bar-Winged Wood-Wren.

We will take advantage of the moonlight for birding and near the lodge we will look for the White-throated Screech-Owl, Rufous-banded Owl. A little far from the lodge we will try to find the Lyre-tailed Nightjar, Cinnamon Screech-Owl, Rufous-banded Owl, Rufous-bellied Nighthawk.

Leaving in the morning  we will observe Lanceolated Monklet, Fiery-throated Fruiteater, Sharpe’s Wren, Sulphur-bellied Tyrannulet, Long-tailed Antbird, Large-footed Tapaculo, Fine-barred Piculet(E), Ecuadorian Tyrannulet, Black-crested Warbler, Scaled Fruiteater, Barred Becard, Golden-faced Tyranulet, Bicolored Antvireo. Overnight  at the Long-whiskered Owlet Lodge. (B,L,D)

Day 12  Afluente – Aguas Verdes – Rioja

We leave the Long-whiskered Owlet Lodge, short stops in two or three points at Abra Patricia to start going down to Aguas Verdes bridge, previously we will make a stop at Pueblo de Afluente, here we will advance in the trail along the highway where we will observe in the lush vegetation the Scarlet-breasted Fruiteater, Ash-Throated Antwren, Vermilon Tanager among others.

We make a stop at Aguas Verdes bridge go through a metal fence and advance by a small trail in order to observe the Andean Cock-of-the-rock our National Bird, besides the Red-Ruffed Fruitcrow, Ecuadorian Piedtail, Napo Sabrewing, Black-mandibled Toucan and others. Overnight  at hotel in Rioja. (B,BL,D)

Day 13  Rioja -Yacumama – Morro Calzada

Feeling the increase of the temperature as we get close to Tarapoto, early in the morning we will visit  the Recreational Complex Yacumama, the owner of this place is protecting some hectareas of forest, we will be able to find some good species like Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Cobalt-Wingd Parakeet, Little Cuckoo, Violaceous Trogon, Ringed Kingfisher, Lafresnaye’s Piculet. The Speckled Chachalaca will give us a sonorous welcome,   then we can listen to the Cinereous Tinamou song and  others, we will spend almost all the morning here in Yacumama. Lunch in  Rioja.

In the afternoon we get on board to Morro Calzada. This is an amazing  stone formation in the Amazonic prairie,  it is possible to walk up to the top, from this point we will be able to see a beautiful landscape, however  we can bird species like Mishana Tyrannulet, Lafresnaye’s Piculet, Chestnut-Eared Aracari, White-Bellied Pygmy-Tyrant, Cinereous-Breasted Spinetail, among others in the surroundings. Overnight at hotel in Tarapoto. (B, L, D)

Day 14  Tarapoto – Quebrada Upaquihua

We depart early in the morning to Quebrada Upaquihua on the way to Juanjui, have breakfast on the route,  we will find a  Tropical  Deciduous Forest. This zone adjacent to Huallaga River is very important, here we can find the Ashy-Headed Greenlet, Mishana Tyrannulet, Planalto Hermit, Chestnut-Throated Spinetail. Going back to Tarapoto we get closer to the river to observe shore birds associated to this ecosystem. Overnight at  a comfortable hotel in Tarapoto. (B, BL, D)

Day 15  Tarapoto –  Tunel  Zone (road to Yurimaguas)

We will have breakfast on the route. This day will be excellent, we road by an asphalted highway to  Yurimaguas. Our birding trip is focused to the zone before the tunnel belonging to the high jungle, in the surroundings of the tunnel and after the tunnel which is a defined transition low jungle zone, here live many species for birding like Rufous-winged Antwren, Violet-headed Hummingbird, Ruddy Foliage-gleaner, Slaty-capped Flycatcher, Koepcke’s Hermit, Golden-tailed Sapphire, Golden-headed Manakin. We will spend all day in this area. In the afternoon we will go back to Tarapoto. Overnight at hotel in Tarapoto. (B, BL, D)

Day 16  Tarapoto surroundings

We will have breakfast at the hotel, then we head for the city surroundings for birding up to the time to go to the Airport to take the flight to Lima. As per your flight itinerary, we will make the transfer to the International Airport , flight back to your country. (B, L)

Days: 16 days

Departure: All the year

Includes: All meals (unless contrary is indicated), guide, double accomodation with private bathroom.

Not included: Air Ticket Lima -Tumbes and Tarapoto-Lima, Bottled alcoholic or soft drinks .